Jobs Cut From Art Gallery of NSW In Budget Setback
Dozens of jobs are set to be cut from the The Art Gallery of NSW as they slash more than ten per cent of their workforce in a restructuring effort that aims to save the institution $7.5 million annually.
Details of the new “management plan” were announced by the gallery’s new director Maud Page on Tuesday morning.
“After five months at the helm, it’s become apparent that a reduction in staff roles is necessary to secure a sustainable future for the institution we all care deeply about,” she said.
“It’s certainly not how I had hoped to begin my directorship, but I’m comforted that we are doing this from a position of strength with the highest visitation in our history.
“The executive team and board of trustees explored every possible avenue to reduce operating expenses. Despite these extensive efforts, changes to our staffing structure are unavoidable to ensure the long-term future of the institution can serve our community for years to come.”
These are the latest cutbacks to public service in the state, following a restructuring of the arts funding agency, Create NSW, as well as the loss of almost 1,000 jobs from Transport for NSW, both announced less than two months ago.
A smaller group of cuts were announced in June last year with 23 unfilled full-time and nine other positions affected to save $4.2 million.
Gallery expansion significantly increased costs
The gallery said the proposed staffing changes had been carefully considered and calibrated across the institution, but structuring was required in order to lower operating expenses and meet the organisation’s budget shortfall of $7.5 million.
A 2024 state Treasury review of the gallery found that a increase in full-time roles, combined with staffing levels higher than at comparable institutions, had contributed to budgetary pressure. These pressures were exacerbated by the gallery’s long awaited expansion in 2022, which doubled operating costs from $63 million in 2019-20 to $120 million in 2023-24.
The gallery received $72.4 million from the government in 2024-25, but these numbers are set to fall to $66.6 million in 2025-26 financial year.
Page said that in addition to the roles cut, the gallery would also be “reviewing our revenue and continuing to identify opportunities for growth through ticket sales, retail, tourism, venue hire and other revenue streams”.
